Ington



0. El STARR.

\ umvme MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Reissued Nov. 14, 1922.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.19|1922.

' 2 SHEEISS.HEE1 1.

IN! 'ENTOR. Cf/flAZLEJ E. 577422 BY 12 WM ,1 TTORNEYS.

C. E. SIAHR. DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILE D SEFT.I9|1922- 2 SHEElS-SHEEI 2.

Reissucd N 0v. 14,1922.

' INVENTOR.

CHAELESEJWZ BY KY1], w

ATTORNEYS.

Reiuued Nov. I4, 1922.

UNITED STATES Re. 15,490 PATENT OFFICE.-

OHARLES E. STARR, OF SEDRO WOOLLEY, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO PERFEOTO GEAR DIFFERENTIAL CO., OEBELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON; A CORPORATION 01 WASH- IN GTON DRIVING MECHANISM FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Original No. 1,362,881,

cer.a1n new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Motor Vehicles, of which the followin is a, specification.

My invention re ates to speed changing mechanism and more particularly to the combination of a differential and planetary gear system whereby a change of speed of parts driven thereby may be secured by the shifting of certain parts of the mechanism to permit or prevent movement of the planetar system.

' their ends abutting L Fig. 3 is a similar view of ,or me 1 here he object of the invention is to combine a planetary gear system. with a differential mechanism as is ordinarily used for the purpose of driving of automobiles in a construction that simple, compact and eifi cient. I v

. In accomplishing this object I have pro vided improved details of construction, the

preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a'longitudinal section through the differential housing on the plane of the driving shaft and axlw; the forward portion of the gearing members being shown in section while the remaining parts are shown in lan.

ig. 2 is a view, partly in section, showing the relative positions-of the movable locking member and cooperating parts when the former is in a neutral position.

the same parts in such relation as to produce a direct drive or what may be termed a high Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the broken line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

Referring more in detail to the of an automobile rear axle. These shafts have and are connected and b 'a diiferential m which is, he, of a standard construction. As own the diiferential mechanism consists of two opposedly mounted bevel ars 2 and'2O which are keyed, preferably y a driven which of the vis formedintegral with an longitudinally shiftable sleeve 50, which is to-turn freely upon the axle 1 and dated December 14, 1920, Serial No. 316,403, filed August 9, 1919. Application for reissue filed September 19, 1922. Serial No.

spline connection, respectively on the abutting ends of the shafts 1 and 10, and intermediate bevel gears 21, which are mounted on shafts 22 carried b a frame 23 and mesh simultaneously with the gears 2.20.

The frame 23 comprises two similar sections, each having a peripheral member cooperates with the other like memher to form a mounting for the shafts 22 and having bearingsleeves 24 whereby the frame is supported; the sleeves being revoluble about the shafts adjacent the outer sides gears 2-20 which retain the frame in position against longitudinal shifting.

Extend g laterally from the frame is a series of journal ins upon which pinions 3 are mounted;t e pinions being the inter mediate gears of a planetary gear system. As shown best in Fig. 4 three of these gears are shown although the number may be varied if desired or as is necessary. The inner ends 30' of these pins are extended throughlthe two sections of the frame 23 and are provided at their ends with nuts whereby the two sections are locked securely together to form a rigid frame.

4 designates the master gear of the planetary system and 6 the master gear of the whole system; the two, gears be secured together and also to supporting we and 44 by means of bolts 42. The webs 40 and 44are respectively provided with sleeves 41 and 45 upon which they turn and the webs ma either form a closed-housing for the differential gears or may be an open work spider; the sleeves being revolubly supported within suitable anti-friction bearmgs, 8 shown at 46, which are mounted in the differential housing as later described.

e inner gear f the lanetary stem at one en of a adapted has a somewhat enlarged portion whereon the "gear formed which" revolves freely v ut the bearing sleeve 240i the frame 23.- Power to drive the axles 1 and 10 is com- .munic'ated through master rs 5 and 4 and is applied to the gear 5. e manner of doing this as here shown consists of a gear 47 carried by a power transmission shaft '48 that may be operated by any suitable source of power. v

The smaller end of the sleeve 50 isprovided near its end with clutch teeth' 51, conveniently formed as a gear but not function-. 7

' axle.' In the position of the sleeve 50 and gear 5, as shown in 'Fig. 1, the sleeve and ear are held against rotation by the interlocking of the teeth 51 with the teeth of the fixed ring 7 and consequently, when the mechanism is driven, the master gear 4 and axles are moved at different speeds; the latter being slower than the former according to the proportion or size of the gears. If, however, the sleeve is shifted so as to disengage the teeth 51 and interlock the teeth of the gear 5 simultaneously with theteeth of the pinions 3 and clutch or looking ring 8, as in Fig. 3, the pinions will be held against rotation so that the casing23 will revolve with the master gears and consequently, the

axles will be driven directly from the master gear at what may be termed their high speed.

The sleeve 50 assumes a neutral driving position when it is shifted so that the gear 5 and teeth 51 are both disengaged from the locking rings, as is illustrated in Fig. 2.

The casing 9, which inclosesthe mechanism, has an internal supporting member 90 at one side, wherein the bearing 46 at that side is mounted and the bearing is held in position by means of a cap 92 that is removably fixed byl bolts 93 t0 the said supporting member. T is bearing revolubly retains the sleeve 11 ofthe web 40 and the'said sleeve forms a bearing for the shiftable sleeve 50 which in-turn carries the axle 1.

At its opposite side the housing 9 has an inwardly extending sleeve 95 which supports the bearings at that side similarly as on the opposite side and the bearings revolubly support the sleeves 24 and, of the "frame 23 and web 44. I

The preferred means for shifting the sleeve toobtain the change of speed, comprises a shifting collar 56 which is revolubly retained on the sleeve between the ring of teeth 51 and a nut 57 that is threaded onto and locked to the end of the sleeve. Pivotall connected to the collar are the arms 58 o a-yoke 59 mounted on a vertical turning 60, I

shaft 65, which in turn is supported by a bracket 66 from the interior of the housing 9. The shaft extends from the housing and has a crank lever 67 thereon to which an op-' erating, link 68 is attached. By oscillating this latterhnk, the collar 56, and with it the If the sleeve is shifted to engage parts as shown in Fig. 3, the planetary system will be locked so as to revolve as one piece with the frame 23 and at a higher speed than when the sleeve is in its former position.

It is apparent that with the parts constructed and assembled as described'a compact mechanism of such character as to be reliable, and efficient, and a means of obtaining another speed ratio for driving automobiles is provided.

Having thus described m y invention what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a power transmission device in combination, a differential gear system having a differential frame journaled upon the shafts thereof, a planetary gear system having its intermediate gears mounted on said frame, a master gear for the said intermediate gears, a locking ring fixed to the differ ential frame, a central gear for the planetary system adapted to be engaged with the lock in ring and having a sleeve longitudinally shlftable on one of the differential shafts, a locking member on the sleeve, a fixed locking member adapted to receive said sleeve locking member and means for optionally shifting the sleeve to such position as to lock the same against rotation to cause functioning of the planetary system or to such position as to interlock the central gear with the locking ring and intermediate planetary gears to lock the differential frame relative to the.

master gear.

2. In a power transmission device, in combination, a differential 'gear system having a differential frame journaled upon the shafts therof, a planetary gear system hav ing-,its intermediate gears mounted on said frame, a master gear forthe planetary system, a locking ring fixed on the frame to revolve therewith adjacent said intermediate gears, a fixed locking member spaced from the locking ring, a sleeve inclosing one of the differential shafts and having a limited movement longitudinally thereof, two gears formed on said sleeve; one of said gears forming the central gearof the planetary system and being adapted to be moved by a shifting of the 'sleeve'into interlocking relation with the locking ring -to prevent rotation of the planetary gears and to lock the frame relative to the master gear, the other gear'being adapted to move into and from looking re ation with the fixed locking member accordingly as the sleeve is shifted to move the opposite gear from and into locking relation with the locking ring.

3. In a power transmission device, in com-- bination, a differential frame journaled upon the shafts thereof, journal pins mounted in said frame, gears mounted nally toothed locking ring mounted on said journal pins adjacent said intermediate ears and adapted to revolve with. saidrame, a central gear for the planetary s tem havin a sle'eveextending therefrom s idable a limited distance on one of the differential shafts and having a locking gear thereon, a fixed locking ring adapted to receive the locking gear, a collar revolubly fixed on the sleeve, .a shifting device fixed to said collar whereby the sleeve may be moved to optionally lock the sleeve against rotation y engagement of the locking gear thereon with the fixed locking ring or moved so as to free the lockin ring and to interlock the central gear simu taneously with the intermediate gears and locking ring to prevent movement of the differential frame relative to the master ar.

4. The con; inaltion with a differepltial ar system, 0 a p anetar ar system av- 5 its intermediate gear j i il'rnaled on the di erential casin ,means for preventin the inner gear of 'tl e planetary system rom turni ,t-eand a locking ring'fixedfor rotation with said differential casin and with which said inner ar is engagefiile to prevent rotation of said intermediate gears. a

5, The combination with differential gear system, of a planetary gear system havin its intermediate gears journaled on the. di

ferential casing, means for preventing theinner' gear of the planetary system from turni and a series of teeth arranged on said di erential casing and adapted to interlock with the teeth of said inner gear to lock said intermediate gears a inst rotation.

6. The combination with a differential gear system, of a planetary its intermediate gears ournaled on the di erential ,means for preven the r inner gear of e e(planetary system rom turmng a ring fix for rotation with said differential and man on said ring adapted in intero ck with the teeth of the gear system hav-' inner gear for locking said inner gear and differential casing against relative rotation.

7. The combination with a differential gear system, of a planetary gear system having its intermediate gears journaled 0n the differential casing, a series of teeth arranged onsaid differential casing and adapted to interlock with the teeth of the inner gear of said planetary system to prevent rotation of said intermediate gears, a

fixed element, engageable clutch members associated with said inner gear and said fixed element for locking said inner gear to said fixed element, and means for optionally engaging, said clutch members or interlocking said teeth. a

8. The combination with a differential gear system, of a planetary gear system hav- 111% its intermediate gears ournaled on the d1 erential casing, a ring fixed for rotation with said differential casing and on the o posite side of said intermediate gears there rom for providing additional support to said intermediate gears, and means on said rin engageable with said inner said inner gear and di against relative rotation.

9. In a combination of a differential gear system and a planetary gearsystem, a plurality of journal pins arranged on the differential' casing and upon which the interrential casing vmediate gears of the planetary'system are mounted, a ring joining the outer ends of said journal pins, and teeth on said ring adapted to be interlocked with the teeth of the inner gear of the planetary system.,

10. In a combination of differential gear gear for. 100 ing system and'a planetary gear system, "a pluralityv of journal pinsarranged on the differential casin and u 'onwhich the intermediate gears o the p anetary system are mounted, a joining the outer-ends of said journal pins, teeth on said ring adapted to be e with the teeth of the inner gear of the planetary system, a fixed element, entgageable clutch members associated with sai inner gear and saidfixed element for locking said anner gear'to said fixed ele-. ment, and means for optionally moving said inner gear to engage said clutch members or to simultaneous enga the teeth of said inner gear with t e teet of saidring and of said intermediate rs.

In testimony w ereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 11th day of September, 1922.

CHARLES E. siaa'a. 

